Indifferent
by Mislav
Summary: Set post the season twenty. Lupo and Bernard investigate the murder of a fifteen year old boy. After the evidence turns up, the case seems pretty straightforward, but there is more to the case than meets the eye. Case fic. Three shot.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I don't own any of the "Law &Order" characters and I am not making any money from writing this.**

 **Please forgive any minor spelling or grammar mistakes, English is not my native language.**

 **This is a case!fic, written much like the episode. It will be a three shot: first chapter the intro, second chapter the investigation, third chapter the trial. I like to imagine this being the premiere episode of season twenty one. It takes place in 2010.**

 _~The following story is fictional and it does not depict any actual person or an event.~_

In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the police, who investigate crimes, and the distric attorneys, who prosecute the offenders. These are their stories.

Amy sighed as she walked back into her house, closing and locking the door behind. She had a light brown coat on and was holding a grocery bag in her hand, filled with mostly cheese and some bagels.

"Billy, I'm home!", she called out, a small smile on her face. But nobody answered.

She walked into the kitchen, her coat still on, and began putting the groceries into the refrigerator. "I know that you're in a bad mood, but come on, mom's home." She tried to sound cheerful. "I'm going to make you a great lunch."

She closed the refrigerator door and walked back into the hallway, a concerned look appearing on her face as she took her coat off. "Billy?", she called out again, putting the coat on the near by coat wreck. Still nothing.

She stopped for a moment, listening attentively. Nothing.

She started walking towards her son's room, feeling herself shiver. "Billy?"

She knocked at the door. Nothing.

Another knock. "Billy?" He didn't answer.

She sighed and wrapped her hand around the door knob, taking a moment to reconsider her decision before pulling the door open. It was unlocked.

She widened her eyes at the sight, her jaw growing slack. Her face turned pale as she screamed, her whole body writhing in terror.

#

M.E. kneeled on the floor near the victim's body. The victim in question was a Caucasian boy of a smaller build, with short black hair and black eyes. There was a small pool of blood formed on the floor around his head. His eyes were wide opened, dull and lifeless, his skin pale. There was a rope wrapped tightly around his neck. A blood stained rock laid on the floor near by. Bernard sighed, taking a look at the broken window near by about the time M.E. began her summation.

"Billy Morgan, fifteen", she exclaimed. "The body is still warm. He was murdered two hours ago tops. The wound on the back of his head is nasty, but judging by the petechial hemorrhage and bruises on his neck, the real cause of death is ligature strangulation."

Lupo sighed. "Nasty."

M.E. sighed as she looked back down at the body. "No other apparent injuries, no signs of a sexual assault." She started the lifting parts of Billy's T-shirt up, revealing brown and purple spots. "But there are a few older bruises on his arms and torso. I have to look closely into that. I will know more after the autopsy. There are also some new ones, possibly caused by an unsuccessful CPR."

Lupo and Bernard exchanged a look.

"What do you think? A burglary gone wrong?", Lupo suggested.

Bernard looked around. "Nothing appears to be stolen. Except for the victim's phone and laptop. But older bruises could be a sign of a domestic violence."

Lupo groaned. "Mom claims she found him this way when she came back home from the store. We may have to take that with a grain of salt."

Bernard sighed and took another look at the body.

~OPENING ROLES AND CREDITS~


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I don't own any of the Law &Order characters and I am not making any money from writing this.**

 **Please forgive any minor spelling or grammar mistakes, English is not my native language.**

 **Missy Crider as Amy Morgan**

 **Joe Adler as Derek O'Reilly**

 **Larry Joe Campbell as Dave**

 **Saoirse Ronan as Vanessa Smith**

 **China Anne McClaim as Tracy Stanworth**

 **Richard Masur as doctor Peter Greer**

 **Lola Glaudini as Carrie Green**

 **Peter Jacobson as Randy Dworkin**

Amy was shivering, her eyes watery and her face blushed. She was sitting on the sofa opposite to Lupo and Bernard, who were sitting on the couch.

"I have no idea how this could have happened", she whispered. "He was alive when I left."

Lupo and Bernard exchanged a look. Lupo looked Amy in the eyes. "No offense, ms., but M.E. has recovered some old bruises on your son's body."

Amy widened her eyes as she clenched her fists. "I didn't abuse him!", she cried.

"Explain the bruises then", Bernard said.

Amy sighed and looked down at the floor. "Billy was being bullied at school. For years." She looked up at the detectives. "We don't have much money. We couldn't have switched schools. We live quite the distance away from this one already. And you know what kids are like these days. Social media... they would find out. It would only turn worse."

"How do you mean, bully him?", Bernard wondered.

"Push him against the lockers. Threatening him. Stealing his lunch money. Insulting him. About his appearence, voice, grades. Spreading... rumors."

Lupo glared at her. "Have you talked to the principal?"

"Yes, but it's his word against theirs!", Amy cried. "Those are popular kids: athleetes, cheerleaders, straight A students, rich parents. Everyone are afraid to testify." She rubbed her eyes. "But Billy was thinking about putting an end on that. To convince other kids to testify. Maybe to even secretly... record them bullying him." A tear rolled down her face. "I tried to talk him out of that."

"You think that is why somebody killed him?", Bernard questioned.

"I can't think of any other reason!", Amy exclaimed.

"OK. Can you tell me the name of those kids?", Lupo asked.

"There are many kids bullying him. But I know, for sure, that three are the worst." She frowned, trying to concentrate. "The leaders. Vanessa Smith, Michael Jones, her boyfriend, and Tracy Stanworth." She rubbed her forehead and shuddered. "I... I noticed the car driving by the neighborhood while on my way to the store. Black SUV. The same kind of car that Vanessa owns." She shifted in her spot. "The blonde woman was the driver, there was a young man at the passenger seat. They kind of looked like Vanessa and Mike, but I can't be sure." She shook her head. "I didn't get the licence plate. I think I had seen it in the neighborhood a few days before too. I figured I was just imagining things. I've been really stressed out lately."

"Only the two of them were in the car?", Berbard asked.

Amy frowned. "I think so."

"Can you think of anyone else who would want to hurt your son? Or you?", Lupo asked.

"No."

"Any other suspicious activities happening around the neighborhood lately?", Bernard asked. "Think."

Amy shook her head. "None that I can recall."

Lupo nodded his head. A short silence ensued. "You will have to provide us with your fingerprint and DNA samples", he eventually said. "For elimination. And Billy's phone number."

Amy nodded her head, looking away.

"Have you been seeing anyone lately?", Lupo asked carefully. "Maybe somebod who would have an easy access to the house?"

Amy faced him again. "Yes. Derek O'Reilly." She exhaled. "He is a patrole officer at tenth precinct."

Lupo and Bernard exchanged a look.

"BLUE GLASS", THE COP BAR

SEPTEMBER 26TH

Derek ended up talking to Lupo and Bernard in the back of the cop bar. He was visibly shivering as he gripped at his cup of coffee, his face pale. He still had his uniform on, the badge on and a gun at his holster. "Amy has told me all about it", he whispered, staring blankly in front of himself. "It all started when he was in the sixth grade. The teacher started it. Carrie Green." He looked Lupo and Bernard in the eyes, his jaw clenched. "She made him cry in front of the whole class over a homework or something. And she kept bringing it up afterwards. She was fired a year later, but the damage had already been done." He sighed. "They just wouldn't leave him alone. Those three were the worst bullies, from the beginning. The others followed them. They were a year older so he had a relatively peaceful year while those three were freshmen in High school, but once he started attending High school too, it became even worse." A fury flashed over his face, his eyes welling up with tears. "I'm a cop, and even I couldn't have done anything to stop that! We tried suing but there was no sufficient evidence." He looked down at the floor. "I tried talking to those guys, but their parents and I almost got fired. I hired some private detective to keep an eye on them, try to collect some evidence, but that Michael guy spotted him... he barely managed to escape and quit."

"Just a routine question, mr. O'Reilly. Where were you today between one and two pm?", Bernard asked.

Derek exhaled. "At the precinct. Talk to my boss. Check the security footage. I was there."

Lupo and Bernard nodded their heads, stood up and began to walk away. Derek did nothing at first, remained silent. But eventually, he said silently, his voice pretty soar: "Please get them", he pleaded.

Lupo and Bernard stopped, taking a look at him. "We will", Bernard promised.

THE BROOKLYN HIGH SCHOOL

SEPTEMBER 26TH

The principal, Dave, was a middle aged Caucasian man, slightly overweight, with short brown hair and brown eyes, wearing white shirt and black pants. His office consistent of little more than a work desk, with a computer, printer, phone and some files on it, and a pretty big bookcase. He started walking around the office when asked about the bullying Billy had allegedly suffered.

"Look, did those kids bully him? Probably. But I could do nothing about it. Nobody was there to back up the kid."

"He had bruises", Lupo pointed out.

Dave groaned. "The kid sucked at P.E. There are thousands of kids in this school. That was no proof of anything."

"You have security cameras in here and outside", Bernard noted.

Dave flinched, choosing his words carefully. "I'm afraid that was of no much use either."

"Because the camera system is filled with blind spots and many of the cameras don't work", Bernard concluded.

Dave shrugged. "Budget cuts, what can I tell you?" Bernard and Lupo glared at him. Dave sighed. "Look, those are no perfect kids, no matter what their report cards say. Mean, arrogant... you know the jocks and cheerleaders. But they wouldn't have killed him!", he said.

"That's for us to determine", Lupo reminded him, sternly. "So we will also need access to all the security footages that you still have and all the info on those three."

Dave sighed, sat at his desk and begun typing on his computer.

THE BROOKLYN HIGH SCHOOL

LIBRARY

SEPTEMBER 26TH

Lupo and Bernard had troubles keeping up with Brenda, a chubby brunette who was walking through the library quickly, avoiding to look at them. She held two books tightly to her chest. "I have nothing to say. You're asking the wrong person."

Lupo frowned. "Really? Because we hear that those three targeted you too. And you've been going to the same class as Billy, worked on the few science projects with him."

Brenda stopped and turned to face them. "Look, I'm sorry about Billy. We were good. Not friends or anything, but good." She looked around, then loweree her voice. "But no good would come out of talking bad about Michael, or Vanessa, or Tracy. Besides, nothing that I can say would help you with the investigation, I'm sure."

"You mind telling us where were you today between one and two pm?", Lupo sked.

"Here. Ask around, check the security cameras." She glared at them. "Now excuse me..." She turned around and walked to the opposite corner of the library. Bernard groaned.

MICHAEL JONES' HOUSE

CARROLL GARDENS

SEPTEMBER 26TH

Lupo and Bernard eyed Michael suspiciously. He was sitting at the dining room table next to his father, Steve, with his mother doing dishes in the kitchen and occasionally peeking at them. Michael was tall and strong Caucasian boy, with a slightly longer brown hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. "Look, man, I don't know what you're talking about", he said, matter of factly, barely withholding a smile. "I never bothered that kid and I sure as hell didn't kill him."

"Then why did Billy claim that you did, man?", Bernard asked sarcastically.

Michael shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe he was jealous. Maybe he wanted attention."

"Do you really have to question my son about this?", Steve protested.

"Yes, we have to", Lupo snapped back before turning back towards Michael. "And we have to know where he was today between one and two pm."

"I was at home", Michael answered.

"Can anyone confirm that?", Bernard asked.

"I...", his father started.

"My parents were at work", Michael said, interrupting him.

"Michael!", Steve hissed.

"Come on, dad!", Michael chuckled. He turned to face Lupo and Bernard again, a smug look on his face. "If they had anything against me, they would take me away in handcuffs by now."

Lupo and Bernard exchanged a look. Lupo was the one to ask the next question. "Do you know did Billy have any problems? Enemies? Have you noticed anything strange about him or around the school lately?"

Michael shrugged. "No." He smiled. "We didn't hang out, like, at all."

VANESSA SMITH'S HOUSE

CARROLL GARDENS

SEPTEMBER 26TH

The house where Vanessa lived looked luxurious, to say at least. Cyril and Bernard noted the large leather couch in the center of the living room, plasma TV opposite to it, big white carpet on a shiny hardwood floor and some really nice framed paintings and photographs on the walls. She was tall and slim, with long blonde hair and blonde eyes, appearing to be almost completely unaffected by the news.

"Oh my God", she exclaimed, pouting her lips. "That guy was, like, so desperate for attention." She sat down on the couch.

"That guy is dead now", Bernard pointed out, sounding disgusted. "And it appears that you were his bully. In two with Michael, your boyfriend, and Tracy, your fellow cheerleader."

Vanessa rolled her eyes. "The kid was creepy! Like a stalker or something. I didn't bully him. Nobody did."

Lupo raised his eyebrows. "The car matching to the one you own was seen near the crime scene."

"I am not the only person in the city that owns a black SUV", Vanessa stated, matter of factly.

"Two people matching your and Michael's description were seen inside", Bernard elaborated.

Vanessa frowned. "What, somebody can, like, ID us?"

Bernard grimaced. "Not positively", he answered.

A slight smile appeared on Vanessa's face. "So that must be some kind of a mistake."

"Nobody at home?", Lupo commented, looking around.

"My parents are away on some business trip", Vanessa replied, sounding uninterested. "They won't be back until Monday. My older sister is away on college."

"Where were you today between one and two pm?", Bernard asked.

"Home, alone", Vanessa answered calmly, standing up.

Lupo looked around. "Would you mind providing us with your fingerprint and DNA sample? And let us have a look around your room?"

Vanessa glared at them and crossed her arms over her chest. "Do you have a warrant or something?"

"No", Lupo said.

"Then yes, I would mind", Vanessa said.

BOERUM HILL

PUBLIC LIBRARY

SEPTEMBER 26TH

On contrary to the first two, Tracy had been spending her Saturday afternoon in the local library, a large History book in front of her. She had been African American girl with long black hair and black eyes, tall and slim. Despite the environment, still dressed nicely though: white T-shirt, tight jeans and sandals. Lupo and Bernard were quite forward with her. She lacked the smugness that the first two had, but she was still pretty confident.

"Look, maybe Billy would take some of our jokes or... well meaning comments too seriously, but we didn't bully him! Nobody did! And we certainly didn't kill him!"

"So, where were you today between one and two pm?", Lupo asked.

Tracy pouted as she adjusted her hair band. "At home."

"Can anyone confirm that?", Bernard asked.

"Yeah, my parents and two younger brothers."

"Do you know did Billy have any enemies? Did you notice anything strange?"

Tracy frowned. "Not really. But that kid was weird."

Lupo frowned. "How do you mean?"

Tracy sighed. "I don't know. Always on his phone. Keeping his head down, not hanging out with anyone." She leaned in closer. "To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if he was into something shady. Not that I know anything about it."

Lupo and Bernard exchanged a look.

DR. PETER GREER'S ORDINATION

FOURTH AVENUE

SEPTEMBER 27TH

Doctor Peter Greer, an overweight Caucasian man in his fifties, sighed and took off his glasses as he sat down at his desk. "Look, I don't know how I can help you. I haven't studied those kids." He fondled his hands together and leaned back in his chair. "But if you are asking me was Billy being honest... was there something serious going on... I'd say that there was."

"How serious was the bullying?", Lupo asked him.

Peter grimaced. "Pretty serious." He frowned. "He was suffering from depression, sleep deprivation at times... most of the time he was too scared or ashamed to talk about that in detail, even to me." He sighed. "He even hinted to thinking about committing a suicide a few times."

"But he never really felt... afraid for his life?", Bernard asked. "Didn't mention any other mentioned, anything that could mean there was possibly a foul play coming?"

Peter shook his head. "Not that I know of, but the bullies feed on control. Fear. He seemed too scared to actually stand up to them. In case he was able to. But if he did or tried to... possibly getting them in trouble and/or humiliating them by doing so... it wouldn't surprise me that they... took care of that."

THE FOURTH AVENUE

"THE BOOK ENDS"

CARRIE GREEN'S BOOKSTORE

SEPTEMBER 27TH

Carrie kept re organizing books on the shelves in the bookstore, barely even looking at Lupo and Bernard. "Did I say some things that I shouldn't have? Maybe. But I didn't bully that kid. If he reacted that way over some harsh words and couldn't deal with some teasing, that's his fault."

"You were still fired a year after", Lupi pointed out.

Carrie sighed. "I had some personal problems. I would miss out a lot. Couldn't always get around to... justifying it. School board didn't like it."

"Sure, that's an official reason. That's what it says in your business record. "Frequent absence."" He took a step closer. "Interestingly, that was also listed as the reason why you were fired from the other middle school two years later. And why you no longer work as a teacher."

"Thankfully", Lupo added.

Carrie stopped and turned to face them. "I own a bookstore. Good enough for me. And where are you getting with this?"

"Nowhere in particular. We just want to know do you know did Billy had any enemies. And where were you today between one and two pm."

"Not that I know of. But again, I had absolutely no contact with him or his mother after I had a change of workplace. And I was at work during that time. I have security cameras in here and out front. I had a few clients, some of them paid with a credit card. So check that if you want."

"We will", Lupo assured her. Carrie snickered at them before turning back to her work.

THE PRECINCT

THE MORGUE

SEPTEMBER 27TH

It was pretty hard, looking at Billy's lifeless body laying on the autopsy table. Even Elizabeth looked uncomfortable.

"Yes, the cause of death was ligature strangulation", she confirmed, running a finger over his neck. "The bruises on his neck are consistent with the rope, the same way the head injury is consistent with the rock found on the scene. I recovered some dirt inside the wound and in his hair. I sent it to Trace. Nothing under his fingernails." She pointed to the bruises on his body. "These bruises had definitely been caused by force. Some are as old as a week, some had been caused just a few days prior to his murder. The most recent ones are a result of a CPR." She looked away. "No tearings inside his anus or on the genital area."

"Could you provide us with the more accurate time of death?", Lupo asked.

"Likely closer to two pm than one pm, but that all I've been able to determined." She took her gloves off. "I took the swabs from his arms, stomach, neck and head wound. Just in case."

"Good", Lupo commented before taking the autopsy report. They turned around and started heading toward the exit. Elizabeth took a look at the body, then toward the detectives. "Hey."

They stopped and turned around.

"Get that son of a bitch", she hissed.

Lupo smiled reassuringly. "We will."

#

Bernard sighed as he continued walking towards his desk, followed by Lupo. "Amy's and Carrie's alibies check out. Forensics try to pin point the location of Billy's phone via a signal, nothing. It is either broken or turned off."

Lupo sighed. "More likely destroyed."

Bernard glared at him. "You suspect those kids, huh?"

"Who else?", Lupo mumbled. They both sat at their desks. Lupo opened his file and took one more look at the forensic report.

"The rock is consistent with the injury on the back of Billy's head", he read. "His blood is on it. Only his. No usable fingerprints, no other DNA on it. Almost no trace evidence. Some dirt and grass on it, consistent with the traces of dirt and grass found inside his head wound, on his clothing, and in the pool of blood on the floor. Those samples aren't consistent with the elimination samples taken from the yard. Only Billy's DNA was found on the rope. The rope isn't consistent with any of the kind recovered in the house." He rubbed his chin. "The killers were prepared. Brought everything with them." He frowned. "Come to think of it, this rock looks similar to few that I've seen in Vanessa's yard."

Bernard shook his head. "Well, we can't obtain a samples for comparison without a warrant. Or without contacting her parents first, it's legally their property." He took one more look at his file. "But, yes, there really is nothing to confirm that any of them were really at home at the time of the murder. No witnesses, receipts, phone records... they all made some posts on their social media sites at that time, but forensics could only pinpoint the signal with a twenty mile radius. They could have easily made it on their way to or from the crime scenes. According to the IP addresses, all of those posts originated from their smartphones."

Lupo took a look at his copy. "There is no proof of bullying or even less murder on those sites, but we would need a warrant to gain access to private messages and some other sites." He sighed. "I thought about checking Billy's social media sites, but apparently he had none."

"Those three are keeping it low lately, social media sites, but they are suspects, despite everything." He looked away. "Several students made online tributs about Billy. They haven't responded."

At that point, the phone rang. Lupo picked it up and answered. "Hallo?" He frowned. "Aha." He leaned back in his chair. "OK, we're on our way." He hanged up and looked at Bernard. "Local police pulled over a local man for speeding in Billy's neighborhood. The trunk of his car was filled with burglary tools and stolen items. There had been four unsolved burglaries in the neighborhood close to where Billy lived during the last month. They heard about the murder and decided to contact us."

#

Lupo looked down on the crime scene photograph featuring Billy's body, then back up at the young Hispanic man sitting at the table in the interrogation room, opposite to him. Bernard was also sitting at the table, opposite to Ryan, and the camera near by was running.

"Wow, man, I didn't kill that kid!", Ryan cried.

"Why should we trust you, huh?", Lupo growled.

Ryan glared at him. "I'm a thief, not a murderer!"

"Where were you yesterday between one and two pm?", Bernard asked.

"Home, alone."

"How convenient", Bernard commented.

"Look, I did all those burglaries at night. You can check. Why would I break in that house in mid afternoon?" Lupo and Bernard exchanged a look. Ryan leaned back in his chair. "Besides, I've never operated in that neighborhood."

"You got arrested in that neighborhood", Lupo pointed out.

"My girlfriend lives there."

Bernard glared at Ryan suspiciously just at the moment when his ringtone went off. He pulled out his phone and answered. "Hallo?"

"I can give you her contact information", Ryan said. Bernard sighed, ending the call and pulling the phone back down his pocket. He turned to face Lupo. "We'll have to make a visit to one as of recently familiar location..."

THE FOURTH AVENUE

"THE BOOK ENDS"

CARRIE GREEN'S BOOKSTORE

SEPTEMBER 27TH

Lupo adjusted latex gloves that had been pulled over his hands before looking at the floor behind the counter. There, in the bookstore that they had visited the day before, laid a lifeless body of Carrie Green. Her white T-shirt had been soaked in blood, her arms sprawled above her head.

"A customer walked in and find her", the young uniformed officer explained. Cyril and Bernard glanced at the young woman sitting on the chair near the entry way, nwar another patrole officer securing the scene. "No relations to the victim. The M.E. is on the way, but it doesn't appear that she had been dead for very long. Four gunshots wounds to the chest." She exchanged nods with the detectives before walking over to another uniformed officer. Cyril and Bernard exchanged a look before Cyril peeked behind the counter again.

"Empty cash register", he noted. He looked at the empty place where DVR had been placed the day prior. "No surveillance tapes."

"A botched robbery?", Bernard suggested.

Lupo sighed. "As well as one big coincidence, it would appear."

Bernard carefully stepped over to the other side of the counter. He looked Down at the body and blood splatters. "Whoever killed her emptied the cash register, but left her wallet and watch." He leaned over and checked her watch. "It broke when she fell down on the floor. 2:05 pm." He straightened himself up and glanced at the items on the counter. He flipped through the date book. "She was planning to go to the lunch at two twenty pm. Never made it." He looked at the few boxes full of books near by. "Though she did sort the history books. She was planning to take those to the basement, they weren't selling well. That was listed for one pm."

Lupo looked down at the green/blue hair band on the floor near by, having caught Bernard's attention. "This looks familiar to you?"

Bernard glanced at it, then sighed.

#

Tracy shifted uncomfortably on the couch. Her mother, a woman in her forties, was sitting next to her. "Why are you harrassing my daughter?", she cried. "She didn't do anything!"

"With all due respect, mrs, thats on us to decide", Bernard said, then turned to Tracy. "Where were you today at about two pm?"

"At home, studying", Tracy answered.

Bernard glared at her. "Can anyone confirm that?"

Tracy frowned. "My two younger brothers were at home, but they were mostly in their rooms upstairs."

"Would you mind giving us one of your hair bands for an analysis?", Lupo asked. "And provide us with a DNA sample?"

Tracy frowned, looking around. Her face almost looked panicked.

"No", her mom answered for her.

"Mrs..."

"You want anything else, come here with a warrant."

#

Anita adjusted her eyeglasses as she walked down the hallway, followed by Lupo and Bernard.

"You can't blame the woman, legally", she commented."I'll try working on the warrant, but I don't think there is much hope with what you have so far." "What about Billy's room?"

"Nothing about it. Only his and mother's fingerprints in it. No usable shoe prints."

Anita glanced at them. "And what about the mother?"

Both Lupo and Bernard sighed.

#

Amy looked even paler than the day before, her hair was a mess and her eyes reddish. She kept walking back and forth around the room. The living space was a bit messy, but still tidy. "I hated that bitch, I admit it", she said. "But I would have never killed somebody!"

"So, where were you today about two pm?", Bernard asked.

Amy quickly went through some papers on the coffee table. She pulled out a producent flyier and handed it to Lupo. "At a funeral home", she said, her eyes watery. "Making arrangements." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I know that it will probably be quite some time before I could... re posses the body, but I better waste no time." She sighed and shuddered. "I don't exactly have good... finantial resources right now."

"And your boyfriend?", Bernard questioned.

Amy flinched for a second, but remained calm. "He was with me."

"I think that it is safe to assume that you had no contact with Carrie lately?", Lupo begun. "You don't know much about her personal life, nothing that could help us with the investigation?"

"No. But judging by the way she was, I'd assume that there was no shortage of people wanting her dead." She took a deep breath. "I didn't kill that bitch. But I'm glad that she's gone."

#

Lupo and Bernard paced around the bookstore as the tall African American man kept walking back and forth near the book cases, taking notes in his notebook.

"We heard you had a lot of disputes with Carrie", Lupo pointed out. "Disagreements about the territory, bad mouthing on the social media."

Carlton sighed. "Well, it's too late to deny it now." He turned to face the detectives. "But that all I've done."

"Then where were you today at about two pm?", Lupo asked.

"Here", he said. "You can check the security camera out front."

"Do you know did she have any enemies?", Bernard asked.

Carlton pulled a book off the shelf and looked at the cover. "No, but I'm guessing she had plenty." He looked up at the detectives. "Why do you think she got fired from two different schools?"

#

Lupo closed his file before looking up at Anita, who was standing near his desk. "I won't be surprised if their parents have pressed some sort of a suite against us by this point", he muttered.

Anita groaned. "Let me deal with that. Nothing on the security footages from school?", she questioned.

Lupo shook his head. "Nothing useful."

It was then that Bernard approached them. "The forensics finished examimed the hair", he informed them, handing the filr to Cyril. "There were skin cells and one hair on it. DNA profile has been extracted. No match in CODIS, but it definitely belongs to an African American female. There were also traces of gunshot residue on the hair."

"I just finished checking Carrie's phone records, from her home, personal and work phone", he informed him. "She mostly talked to the suppliers and family, few friends. But on the day of the murder, at twelve am, she received a thirty second phone call that originated from the phone booth located half a mile away from Tracy house. No Internet or phone activity on her part at the time of the murder."

They both turned towards Van Buren. A tense moment had passed before she answered. "I'm going to start working on obtaining an arrest and search warrant. Hopefully, I will be able to obtain those for Michael and Vanessa too."

The detectives smiled before the chief stood up and walked away.

#

They found Tracy leaving her house, a backpack on her back, heading towards her car. She stopped in her tracks upon seeing them, eyes wide.

"Stop right there!", Lupo called out.

"I have to go to school!", Tracy cried as Bernard pulled her arms behind her back and handcuffed her.

"I hear that you can graduate at Rikers", he commented before starting to lead her towards the police car.


End file.
